Graduate Study

The Centre for Women’s Studies offers taught and research postgraduate degrees at PGCertificate, PGDiploma, MA, MPhil and PhD level.

Students come to CWS from many different national, cultural, disciplinary and employment backgrounds. We welcome students of any age who are interested in developing their understanding of women’s lives, feminist theory and gendered knowledge and who can demonstrate appropriate educational background or experience. Some students come straight from their BA or Master’s degree, while others start from a wealth of experience in voluntary or paid employment. The diversity of our students is one of the strengths of CWS, as we draw from the knowledge and experience of all to develop a vibrant and rigorous culture for learning and research.

'I thoroughly enjoyed taking my MA at the centre for women’s studies, so much so that I have continued my studies at the centre and am now doing a PhD.

I found the work interesting and thought provoking, with a wide range of options and possibilities. The teaching was encouraging and gave room for individual development.

The community within the centre is friendly and supportive which ensured my experience while studying for the MA was enjoyable and positive. I would most definitely recommend the MA at the Centre for Women’s Studies.'

We recognise that each degree offers a tough academic challenge, and we aim to help each student begin their degree prepared and ready for their studies. To this end we look carefully at every application, assess each on its merits and, where appropriate, discuss ways of developing your learning before you come to York so that you can obtain the most benefit from your studies. The first few weeks of the degrees are also designed to introduce students to a variety of perspectives and methodologies, so that you may make informed choices about your pathway through your degree, in consultation with a supervisor. This careful attention to individual programmes ensures that graduates of CWS are equipped to work productively in a variety of careers, and former students work as academics, in government and voluntary agencies in many countries, in business, in the health and caring professions, as self-employed writers and alternative therapists, as lawyers, as teachers and a many other occupations.

We welcome both formal and informal enquires. If you have doubts about the suitability of your degree or experience, please contact the Centre Administrator, Harriet Badger (harriet.badger@york.ac.uk) in the first instance. We are also happy to arrange visits to the Centre for those who live in the UK, and you may wish to check out the new and events page for details of our open research seminars, conferences, film events and other activities.

You will be able to find a great deal of information about applying by browsing this web site. Look through the courses on offer, details about staff and current students, and the information on ‘how to apply’. For those applicants whose first language is not English we require a minimum IELTS 6.5 or equivalent. We are happy to answer queries if you need further information, or if anything isn’t clear. Please contact the Centre Administrator, Harriet Badger, on harriet.badger@york.ac.uk.